This page will be talking about Anglo Saxon culture, literature, and history. Anglo Saxon is a term that was given to the Germanic tribes which invaded Great Britain in the fifth century A.D. These stories were past down for generations with oral tradition then were later written down by the Catholics when they invaded. The stories were passed down in old english which was the start of,as we know it now, modern english.
The Anglo Saxon time period started from roughly 449-1066 AD. During this time there were three main groups the Angles who came from Angeln or modern Germany. Also the Saxons from lower Saxony or modern Germany. Lastly the Jutes from the Jutland or modern Denmark. The time period lasts from the end of the Roman empire to the start of conquest of the Normans in 1066.
There are many themes of Anglo Saxon literature. The Anglo Saxons respected the sea and had a love for glory. Anglo Saxons did not believe in life after death, thus why their love for glory was so powerful. According to the stories of glory, glory made the person immortal and the legacy of that person would be told to the many generations after. Other main themes were loyalty and generosity. The thanes protected the land and the Lord would reward the thanes with booty. There was a tradition of fair rewards which is why generosity was such a main theme of Anglo Saxon literature. Another main theme was the democratic spirit, which was the belief of community justice in a society.
Anglo Saxon literature had two different forms of literature. The first one was heroic literature (Beowulf) and the second one was elegaic literature (The Seafarer). Along with those two types are many characteristics of writing. One would be that storytellers would include a caesura (pause) when a story was told. There was a strong beat, heavy rhythm, and four beats per line. Kennings were also added, which are short, condensed, and hyphenated metaphors. The literature, such as poems, never had a rhyme to it.
Chaucer wrote a very important poem about a pilgrimage that was full of satire. The poem gave us an idea of who everyone was and made fun of there ideas and why they were wrong. Such as a man selling pig bones as saint bones, to a Women who has married five times.
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Anglo Saxon
Introduction
This page will be talking about Anglo Saxon culture, literature, and history. Anglo Saxon is a term that was given to the Germanic tribes which invaded Great Britain in the fifth century A.D. These stories were past down for generations with oral tradition then were later written down by the Catholics when they invaded. The stories were passed down in old english which was the start of,as we know it now, modern english.Historical Background
The Anglo Saxon time period started from roughly 449-1066 AD. During this time there were three main groups the Angles who came from Angeln or modern Germany. Also the Saxons from lower Saxony or modern Germany. Lastly the Jutes from the Jutland or modern Denmark. The time period lasts from the end of the Roman empire to the start of conquest of the Normans in 1066.Themes
There are many themes of Anglo Saxon literature. The Anglo Saxons respected the sea and had a love for glory. Anglo Saxons did not believe in life after death, thus why their love for glory was so powerful. According to the stories of glory, glory made the person immortal and the legacy of that person would be told to the many generations after. Other main themes were loyalty and generosity. The thanes protected the land and the Lord would reward the thanes with booty. There was a tradition of fair rewards which is why generosity was such a main theme of Anglo Saxon literature. Another main theme was the democratic spirit, which was the belief of community justice in a society.Style
Anglo Saxon literature had two different forms of literature. The first one was heroic literature (Beowulf) and the second one was elegaic literature (The Seafarer). Along with those two types are many characteristics of writing. One would be that storytellers would include a caesura (pause) when a story was told. There was a strong beat, heavy rhythm, and four beats per line. Kennings were also added, which are short, condensed, and hyphenated metaphors. The literature, such as poems, never had a rhyme to it.Authors
Anglo Saxon and medieval age had plenty of great authors, we though will focus on a few of them:Poetry
Many Poems were written during this time, many of which were ballads. we will focus on four types:Anonymous poetry
The Seafarer
The Wife's Lament
Barbara Allen
Get Up and Bar The Door
Riddles
Ballads
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